Multiple lead pencil



April 4, 1939. H. REUSCH MULT I PLE LEAD PENC IL Filed May 18, 1938Patented Apr. 4,1939

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Appucsn irray 18, 1938, Serial No. 208,572

Germany June 10, 1937 9Claims.

This invention relates to a multiple lead pencil in which lead holdersare shiftably arranged in a pencil casing in such a manner that theirshanks can move in guides inserted in the casing and carry knobs whichproject through slits in the casing. i

The known pencils of this type are open to the objection that the casingslots are open along the greater part of their length, so that dust,

dirt, rain drops and the like can penetrate into the casing, quite apartfrom the fact that the hollow space visible through the slots does notlook nice.

These disadvantages are overcome according to the invention in thatshank springs are arranged, one in each of the guides inserted in thecasing, and presses the shank of the correspond ing lead carriersagainst the inner side of the guide slot.

Five embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example inthe accompanying drawing, in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a multiple lead pencil in elevation, Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3-3 ofFig. 2, Fig. 4 shows in front elevation a lead holder shank constitutingthe second form of construc- Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 4,

Fig, 6 shows a portion of the casing with slot for tge lead holder shankillustrated in Figs. '1 and Fig. 7 shows in front elevation a modifiedconstruction of the lead holder shank constituting the third form ofconstruction,

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of Fig. 7, I Fig. 9 shows a portion of thecasing with slot for the lead holder shank illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8,

. Fig. 10 shows in front elevation a portion of another construction ofthe lead holder shank, constituting the fourth form of construction,

, Fig. 11 shows a portion of the casing'with slot for the lead holdershank illustrated in "Fig. 10,

Fig. 12 is a cross-section through the'pencil showing the guide for leadholder shanks and constituting the fifth form of construction.

On the back of the lead holder shank a of all forms of construction, acurved shank spring b is fixed which, as a slide spring. slides on andbears against the guide (1 fixed in the pencil casing a and presses theshank a against the inner side of the slot e formed in the casing c andthus closes this slot as tightly as possible.

In the first form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the leadholders (:1 are locked in their extreme positions. by two catch knobs fand g which are fixed directly on the outer side of each of the leadholder shanks a, the knob 1" being at the front end and the knob g atthe rear 5. end of the shank a which is approximately twice the lengthof the slot e and has a shifting knob 71.

at about the middle of its length so that the shank closes the slot e onthe rear side irrespectively'of the position of the lead holder a1 10The front and rear edges e1 and 62 of the slot e serve as abutments forthe' catch knobs f and g in such a manner that the front knob ,f engagesthe front edge e; of the slot c When the lead holder a1 is in retractedposition and the rear 15 catch knob g the rear edge e2 of the slot whenthe lead holder in is in writing position.- No widened portion servingas notch is necessary in-this form of construction. The disengagement ofthe catch knobs j and g is effected by pres- 20 sure exerted by a fingeron the knob 11. which finger atti'ie same time shifts the lead holder a1against the action of its spring b. The catch knobs f and g engagebehind the edges el and 62 automatically under the influence of theshank 25 spring I).

In the second form of construction illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 one ofthe catch knobsi is at the rear end of the lead carrier shank a as inthe first form of construction, whereas the second 30 catch knob isprojects laterally from the shifting knob 71. fixed about midway of thelength of the shank a. The slot e has at its rear end a lateral wideninge3 serving as a notch. When the lead carrier a1 is shifted into writingposition, the 35 catch knobi fixed on the rear end of its shank aengages this widened portion ea. The knob i is disengaged and the leadholder a1 retracted in the same manner as in the first form ofconstruction. If the lead holder shank w is in its 40 extreme rearposition the catch knob k projecting laterally from the shifting knob itengages in the widened portion ea. The arrangement of the catch knob 'non the shifting knob 71. presents the advantage that its disengagementis 45 effected more easily and reliably by exerting 1 pressure on theshifting knob h.

This advantage is still more apparent in the third and fourth forms ofconstruction illustrated in Figs. '7 to 9 and 10 and 11 respectively 50as only a single catch knob m or n is provided which projects laterallyfrom the shifting knob k. This makes it necessary to form two lateralwidenings or notches en, es and 66, ev respectively,

arranged one at the front and the other at the 66 rear end of slot e.The catch knob m or n in its extreme forward position engages in thenotch 65 or 2': and in its extreme rearward position in' the notch e4 ores.

In the fourth form of construction the catch knob n projecting laterallyfrom the shifting knob 71. (Fig. 10) is arranged in the middle of theshifting knob h. Consequently, it is located directly below the pointon-which the finger pressure is exerted and-is consequently easilydisengaged. If pressure is exerted on the shifting knob 71. fordisengaging the catch knob 12 from one of the notches ea or e1 (Fig. 11)the pressure, with this practical arrangement of the catch knob n actsdirectly on this knob so that even a slight pressure is sufficient foreffecting the disengagement. The effort necessary for depressing theshifting knob h with the finger is consequently less and themanipulation more convenient than in the other examples illustrated.

Any desired number of lead holders in can be provided in the multiplelead pencil. Thus the casing c may accommodate six lead holders as shownin Fig. 12 instead of four as shown in Fig. 3.

I claim: v p

1. A multiple lead pencil, comprising in combination a pencil casinghaving a plurality of longitudinal slots, a plurality of guides in saidcasing, a plurality of lead holders corresponding to the number ofguides and accommodated in said casing-shanks one projecting from therear end of each of said carriers into the corresponding guide, shiftingknobs one projecting from the outer side of each of said shanks throughone of said slots for shifting said holders into and out of said casing,and springs one fixed-on the inner side of each of said shanks andbearing against one of said guides to press said shanks against theinner side of said casing at a corresponding slot.

2. In a multiple lead pencil as specified in claim 1, at least one catchknob on each of said shanks besides said shifting knob and adapted tolock said shank in an extreme position under the action of the shankspring.

3. A multiple lead pencil as specified in claim 1, in which the leadholder shanks are approximately twice the length of the longitudinalslots and the shifting knobs are arranged approximately in the middle ofthe length of the shanks so that said shanks always close said slots onthe inner side even in their two extreme positions.

4. In a multiple lead pencil as specified in claim 1, two catch knobsarranged one at the front end and the other at the rear end of each ofsaid shanks and adapted to engage the front and rear edges respectivelyof said longitudinal slots under the action of the shank springs to locksaid shanks in forward and retracted positions.

5. A multiple lead pencil as specified in claim 1, each of saidlongitudinal slots having a lateral widening at its rear end forming anotch, and each shank having a catch knob at its rear end and a secondcatch knob projecting laterally from its shifting knob, said catch knobsadapted to alternately engage said notch to lock said shank in itsforward and retracted positions respectively.

6. A multiple lead pencil as specified in claim 1, each of saidlongitudinal slots having two lateral widenings forming notches one atits front end and the other near its rear end, and each shank having acatch knob projecting laterally from its shifting knob and adapted toalternately engage said notches to lock said shank in its forward andretracted positions respectively.

'7. A multiple lead pencil as specified in claim 1, each of saidlongitudinal slots having two lateral widenings forming notches one nearits front end and theother near its rear end, and each shank having acatch knob projecting laterally from the middle and adapted toalternately engage said notches to lock said shank in its for-'- wardand retracted positions respectively.

8. A multiple lead pencil as specified in claim 1, in which the springsare each fixed at one end to the inner side of one of the shanks andeach slide in one of the guides.

9. A multiple lead pencil as specified in claim 1, in which more thanfour lead holders are accommodated with the shanks in the casing.

HANS REUSC'H..

